VOL. 22 NO. 3 • WINTER 2012 • 5773

More than 20,000 Israelis stand to benefit from significant grants recently awarded by the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles. Thegrants provide $100,000 over three years to seven Israel-based nonprofit organizations, for a total of$700,000. The work of the grant recipients representsinnovative efforts to advance Israeli communities, andexemplify the essence of the “Start-Up Nation.”

“These impressive organizations will leverage TheFoundation’s grant awards to maximize their prospectsfor greater success and impact,” said Foundation President and CEO Marvin I. Schotland. “The programs provide critical support in the areas of Jewish identity and economic development and self-sufficiency among diverse constituencies to help ensurea strong Jewish future. They also reflect diversity interms of geography, impact and funding partners.”

The recipients include Atid Bamidbar for JewishEmpowerment for Russian-Speaking Israelis in theNegev; BINA Center for Jewish Identity and Hebrew Culture for The Secular Yeshiva-Core Tracks;Dan Academic Center for Yahad La-Hi Tech; EinPrat for Elul; Gvahim for the Career DevelopmentProgram; Hamidrasha for Makom; and Karev Initiatives in Education for The Jewish Lens. (Seepages 2 and 3 for more information about our 2012Israel Grants.) These grants bring the total amount The Foundation has awarded since 2006 through itsIsrael Grants program to nearly $5 million.

Investing Philanthropicallyin the “Start-UpNation”With 27,000 nonprofits

in Israel and a half-millionpeople working in the sector, it’s quite challeng-ing to determine whichorganizations to support.

That’s why we approachour Israel Grants as strategic investments. Eachgrant we make in Israel has the upside potential for significant return, and conversely, the risk of not fulfilling its potential. Like any good investment,one needs to conduct rigorous due diligence to ensure prudent, well-informed choices.

Speaking of due diligence, special thanks goes to the very talented chair of our Israel GrantsCommittee, Selwyn Gerber. He traveled to Israel to interview all the grantee candidates, questiontheir leaders, review their budgets and vet the organizations as thoroughly as possible. His insights—along with those of every dedicatedmember of our Israel Grants Committee—affordedus the ability to make our Israel Grant decisionsand select the seven recipients with confidence.

We view our Israel Grants as building a portfolioof philanthropy, just like a financial advisor wouldconstruct a portfolio emphasizing diversity of

Continued on back page

Marvin I. SchotlandPRESIDENT & CEO, JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

FROM THE DESK OF

New Grants Support ProgramsIn Israel

Printed with vegetable based inks on recycled paper/10% post-consumer recovered fiber.

Israel Consul General David Siegel and EliGroner, Israel’s Minister of Economic Affairs tothe U.S., recently spoke to The Foundation about Israel as a“Start-Up Nation” and how The Foundation’s recent Israel Grants are vital to the country’s future. (L-R) Marvin Schotland,Foundation President and CEO; Selwyn Gerber,The Foundation’s Israel Grants Committee Chair;Eli Groner, Israel’s Minister of Economic Affairsto the U.S.; David Siegel, Israel’s Consul Generalto the Southwest; and Foundation Chair Lorin Fife.

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A Glance At What’s Inside:

Leg

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1-3ISRAEL GRANTS

NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR DONORS AND FRIENDS OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

DONOR PROFILE: MARK AND LISA SCHWARTZ 7

STORIES OFTRANSFORMATION 4-5

The Foundation’s $100,000Emergency Grant To Israel

The Jewish Community Foundation provided a$100,000 Emergency Grant to the Los Angeles JewishFederation for the Israel Terror Relief Fund. This newfund was created to support the more than one million residents of Southern Israel and offer aid to the most vulnerableIsraelis during the Gaza conflict.Spearheaded by the Jewish Federations of North America, itprovides Israel with $5 million inimmediate assistance.To support the Israel Terror

Relief Fund, you can make a direct online credit card donation at www.jewishla.org. You can also find a link on the top right corner of The

Foundation’s home page at www.jewishfoundationla.org.To support this effort through your fund at The

Foundation, please contact Heather Baroff, Donor Relations Manager, at hbaroff@jewishfoundationla.orgor (323) 761-8734.

On behalf of the Stateof Israel, I commend The Foundation for its visionand the vital work it does in Israel to secure the future of the Jewish people and help its communities grow and prosper.” — Israel Consul General David Siegel

Your support enables talented and ambitious students from the social and geographical periphery—

Israeli-Ethiopians, Israeli Arabs and Druze, ultra-orthodox, new immigrants and other sectors—to

pursue academic studies in high-tech industries.”

— Professor Niv Ahituv, PhD, President, Dan Academic Center

2012 I SRAEL GRANT REC IP I ENTS AT A GLANCE2

The Foundation recently awarded $700,000 to Israel-based programs that promote Jewish identity, economic development and self-sufficiency.

BINA CENTER FOR JEWISH IDENTITY AND HEBREW CULTURE, for The Secular Yeshiva – Core Tracks($100,000).To engage pre-army, mid-service, and post-army students in the study of Jewish texts, exploration ofJewish culture and involvement in social activism.www.bina.org.il

DAN ACADEMIC CENTER, for YahadLa-Hi Tech ($100,000).To provide academic degrees, mentorship, and jobplacement in high-tech and information technologyfields to students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.www.dan.ac.il

We look forward to a meaningful partnership with The Foundation and to positively impacting the lives

of hundreds of Russian-speakers throughout the Negev.”

— Deborah Goldman Golan, Co-founder and President, Atid Bamidbar

ATID BAMIDBAR, for Jewish Empowerment for Russian-SpeakingIsraelis in the Negev ($100,000).To provide Russian-speaking Israelis with knowledgeand understanding of Jewish culture, a greater connection with native Israelis, and the tools to incorporate Judaism into their daily lives.www.bamidbar.org

Through our grant from The Foundation, we hope to inspire young Israelis to take active responsibility

for their Jewish identities, their communities and for Israeli society as a whole.”

— Eran Baruch, Executive Director, BINA

Ellen & Warner Lange, of blessed memory, createdan endowment fund that enabled The Foundationto grow its Israel Grants program in the past years.

The Foundation’s Israel Grants program has grown significantly in recentyears, thanks to the generosity of Werner and Ellen Lange. Established in2003, The Werner and Ellen Lange Endowment Fund has distributed morethan $3.7 million to support The Foundation’s Israel Grants. This family’senduring commitment to supporting the Jewish community will continue to have a profound impact for decades to come.

The Werner and Ellen Lange Endowment Fund—A Lasting Legacy to the Community

For more information on The Foundation’s 2012 Israel Grant awards, visit: www.jewishfoundationla.org/grantsawarded.

HaMidrasha’s Makom Program makes the traditions, wisdom, values and communal spirit of Judaismaccessible and relevant to every Jewish Israeli.”

— Dr. Moti Zeira, CEO, HaMidrasha Educational Center for the Renewal of Jewish Life in Israel

3

The Jewish Lens program examines Jewish values through creative means of self-expression, and

strengthens the students’ sense of Jewish identity and their connection to community. The Foundation’s

support will enable us to expand the program to reach many more children over the next three years.”

— Shmuel Adler, Director, Jewish Lens Program, Israel

KAREV INITIATIVES IN EDUCATION,for The Jewish Lens ($100,000).To enable elementary school students throughout Israel to explore their Jewish identities, values, cultures and communities through an experiential curriculum that combines the medium of photography with Jewish learning.www.karev.org.il

Thanks to The Foundation’s support, we will be able to provide 75 highly skilled immigrants with the

support they need, so that they could help bring the ‘Start-Up Nation’ into the future.”

— Dr. Mickael Bensadoun, Executive Director, Gvahim

GVAHIM, for the Career Development Program ($100,000).To provide job training, language classes, mentorship, networking tools, and job placement to highly qualified olim (new immigrants to Israel).www.gvahim.org.il

HAMIDRASHA, for Makom($100,000).To engage secular Jewish children, families, teachers,and community members in Jewish culture throughcustomized and interconnected educational, community-building, and social justice programs.http://app.oranim.ac.il/hamidrasha

2012 I SRAEL GRANT REC IP I ENTS AT A GLANCE

EIN PRAT, for Elul ($100,000).To engage Israeli young adults from across the religious spectrum through a five-week summerintensive program and year-round events that provide pluralistic Jewish educational enrichment.www.einprat.org/en

This grant will leverage the momentum and impact of Ein Prat’s growth over the past several years

and strengthen the promise of Israel’s next generation.”

— Micah Goodman, Director, Ein Prat

We congratulate our newest grant recipients!

4 STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION

Our Grants. Their Journeys: Personal StoriesSince 2006, The Foundation has been changing lives—and theLos Angeles Jewish community—through its Cutting EdgeGrants Initiative.

This issue of Legacy presents two stories about the personalimpact of The Foundation’s Cutting Edge Grants. You will meeta mother and daughter who are part of a community wherethe younger generation is emerging, assuming leadership

roles and bringing along their parents. Plus, you will readabout the life-changing journey of a gifted singer/songwriterwho, along with other young adults, is discovering new andcreative ways to connect with his Jewish roots.

To learn more about The Foundation’s Cutting Edge Grants,visit www.jewishfoundationla.org/grantsawarded.

As an undergraduate at UCLA, Jasmin Niku was president of Bruins for Israel and served as an AIPAC intern. In 2007, Jasmin and her Iranian-Jewish contemporaries wanted to expand on the activism they had found sofulfilling in school. The result: An organization called 30 Years After.

“We all agreed that the Iranian-Jewish community was at a crossroads,”says 25-year-old Jasmin, now a corporate attorney. “We’d been successfulin just about every industry we had entered and we recognized that politics was the next natural step for our community.”

Founded by young, American-born Iranian Jews, 30 Years Afterquickly crossed generational boundaries, and began to involve the parentsof the organization’s young founders. “30 Years After was an eye-openerfor the first generation of Iranian Jews living in Los Angeles. It taught us to get out and be civically engaged in the community,” says Jasmin’smother, Shiva, who came to the United States as an 18-year-old student in 1979, following the revolution.

Today, Shiva appreciates the tools and resources that 30 Years Afterprovides to help her make more informed decisions about political issuesand candidates. Among the popular activities provided by 30 Years Afterare the Power Brunches featuring elected officials, community leadersand scholars in an intimate setting. The Nikus recently hosted one intheir home.

The entire Niku family—includingthree generations represented by Jasmin and her two younger sisters,

her parents Shiva and Sina, as well as Shiva’s parents—has attended the 30 Years After Biennial Civic Action Conference since its inceptionin 2008. At the most recent conference in October, more than 1,000 participants had an opportunity to hear from political officials and candidates on the local level and California state level, as well as repre-sentatives from both presidential campaigns. “You have to have a voice,”says Shiva. “30 Years After showed us that we are a strong community, and that we can use that power to take a stand for what is important to us.”

Deeply missed at this year’s conference was Shiva’s father, Dr.Roohollah Shayani, who passed away last year. In 2009, Dr. Shayaniparticipated in 30 Years After’s Legacy Project (www.ourlegacyproject.org),a visual history archive of Iranian Jews in America, and shared his story of life in Iran and moving to the U.S. He was interviewed by hisgrandchildren, including Jasmin and her cousin Sam Yebri, president of 30 Years After. Dr. Shayani’s interview, along with others of his generation, will be preserved as part of the project’s video history ofIranian Jews in America. Yet another way this enterprising and innovativegroup of young leaders is making a difference in their community, inspired by the generations that came before.

To learn more about 30 Years After, visit www.30yearsafter.org.

Finding a Voice in Civic Action

You have to have a voice. 30 Years After showed us that we are a strongcommunity, and that we can use that power to take a stand for what is important to us.”— Shiva Niku

�Jasmin Niku (L) with her mother, Shiva.

Jasmin and Shiva Niku: A Daughter and Mother Talk About Finding One’s Voice 30 Years After

Jasmin Niku (3rd from left), with (L-R) her father, Sina, sister Charlene,grandfather Dr. Roohollah Shayani ofblessed memory, cousin Sam Yebri andmother Shiva at the 30 Years After conference in 2010. �

30 Years After

In 2008, The Foundation awarded a$200,000 grant to 30 Years After, an organization focused on increasing Iranian-American Jews’ participation inAmerican civic and political affairs and inspiring a commitment to Israel, social justice, and political action through educational events, student mentoring, and voter registration.

5STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION

While touring the country as a singer/songwriter, Martin Storrow visited several Moishe Houses in the western United States, and immediately felt that he was part of a community. “On the one hand it feels fraternal; you can goanywhere and you will be welcomed,” he says. “On the other hand, it’snot exclusive.”

Founded in 2006, Moishe House provides meaningful Jewish experiences for young adults by supporting leaders in their 20’s as theycreate vibrant home-based Jewish communities. The organization currently operates 46 Moishe Houses in the United States.

Martin eventually settled in Los Angeles and became a regular atevents held at Moishe House Los Angeles. When a Cutting EdgeGrant from The Foundation made it possible for Moishe House to open a residence in West Los Angeles, Martin knew he had to move in.

Raised in San Diego by parents who explored various denominationsof Judaism, Martin appreciates Moishe House’s non-directive, flexible approach to community building. “A lot of programs directed at Jews intheir 20s try really hard to be cool,” says Martin. “Moishe House is theopposite of that. It gives us the autonomy to create whatever kind ofJewish community is unique to us.”

Since Martin moved in, the West Los Angeles Moishe House has held a wide range of events, including Shabbat dinners, yoga on the beach, avisit to the Getty Museum, a “PurimPalooza” and an outing to one ofMartin’s concerts.

For Martin, the most life-changing Moishe House event was ascreening of the documentary, “Making the Crooked Straight” about the work of Dr. Rick Hodes, the Medical Director in Ethiopia for theAmerican Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). Inspiredby the film, Martin traveled to Ethiopia on a JDC-sponsored trip, paidfor by a scholarship from Moishe House.

“We toured Dr. Hodes’ clinic, helping to administer de-wormingmedicine to villagers and students in a remote town,” says Martin. “One

experience that I will never forget wasgoing to Dr. Hodes’ house for a warm andlively Shabbat dinner with several patients,

adopted children, and various guests from around the world.” After Shabbat dinner, Martin played guitar and the group spent hours sharingAmerican and Ethiopian songs and dancing together. Upon returninghome, Martin chaired a joint Moishe House-JDC fundraiser so that oneof Dr. Hodes’ young patients could get life-saving spinal surgery. Martinis happy to report that the boy had the surgery and is doing well.

Through Moishe House, Martin has not only connected more deeplywith his own Jewish roots, but with his music. He is incorporating Jewish themes in his songwriting, and is leading the music at MoisheHouse retreats.

“Moishe House has reminded me that we can each take an active role in shaping our relationship to Judaism,” Martin concluded. “From apersonal perspective and as a community, our Jewish experience is whatwe make it.”

To learn more about Moishe House, visit www.moishehouse.org.

A Shabbat dinner at Moishe House West LA in August 2012. �

Moishe House gives us the autonomy to create whatever kind ofJewish community is unique to us.” — Martin Storrow

of Transformation Made Possible through Cutting Edge Grants

A Special House, a Moving Film and a Life-Changing Journey

Moishe House

The Foundation awarded a $200,000Cutting Edge Grant in 2011 to MoisheHouse to encourage thousands of youngadults to live actively Jewish lives, by engaging them in more than 200 peer-generated events hosted by residents atthree Moishe Houses.

Moishe House West LA. plans a wide range of events including Shabbat dinners, yoga on the beach, visits to the Getty museum, a “PurimPalooza,” and an outing to one of Martin’s concerts. �

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Inspired by his experiences with Moishe House,musician Martin Storrow (R) traveled to Addis Ababa, and later chaired a joint MoisheHouse-JDC fundraiser to provide medical carefor Ethiopian patients in need.

(L-R) The Foundation’s Development Team: Baruch Littman, Dan Rothblatt, and Elliot Kristal.

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Year-end planning is perhaps a bigger challenge this year than in past years because unless Congress acts, individuals will face highertax rates next year on their income, including capital gains and dividends,and estate tax rates will be higher as well. In 2013, certain itemized deductions, including charitable deductions, may be limited or phasedout for higher income taxpayers. You may benefit, therefore, from a largercharitable deduction this year (in 2012 versus 2013). Opportunities forincome and estate tax planning are still varied and should be reviewedwith your professional advisors for their potential and benefit in 2012and 2013. Tax and interest rates are quite low currently and prompt individuals to analyze their overall financial picture.

Thinking About Selling Assets?

You may wish to consider selling assets that are likely to yield largegains before year-end, with due regard for market conditions. This year,long term capital gains are taxed at a maximum rate of 15%, but the rate could well be higher next year.

The Future of Gift Tax, Estate Tax and Generation Skipping Transfer TaxThe future of the gift tax, estate tax

and generation skipping transfer tax continues to be uncertain. While Congress is likely to take some action in the future, we do not know when,and/or how they will seek to soften theunfavorable impact of the scheduledchanges in the tax laws. For those seeking to make significant tax-free gifts, individuals should consider the opportunity to transfer assets this year to children, grandchildren or other beneficiaries free of gift tax.

This year, the amount that an individual can give without incur-ring gift tax is $5,120,000 (reduced by any exemption used in prioryears). This is the highest gift tax exemption ever. That exemptionwill drop to $1,000,000 effective January 1, 2013 unless Congresspasses a new law and the President signs it. Also scheduled to change is the exemption from the generation-skipping transfer tax, which is$5,120,000 this year and scheduled to decrease to $1,430,000 nextyear. The maximum transfer tax rate will also increase from 35% thisyear to 55% next year (and with an extra 5% surcharge for a portionof larger estates).

While it is entirely possible that the current exemptions and taxrates will be reinstated next year, there is no assurance of this, nor of what, if any, changes any new law might bring. Individuals with sufficient assets might wish therefore to consider taking advantage of the current opportunity to make large gifts free of gift tax. It is possible that a tax at death on lifetime gifts made which turn out to be in excess of the estate tax exemption amount in effect at thetime of death could occur, however, many feel this is unlikely at thistime. Even if such were the case, making a large lifetime gift this year would allow any post-gift appreciation in the value of, and income generated by, the gifted assets to remain outside the taxableestate of the donor.

Year-EndStrategies toConsider

Planned Giving Alternatives: Charitable Trusts

Planned giving alternatives such as charitable remaindertrusts and charitable gift annuities are also good choices. There are a few giving strategies that take advantage of the low interest rates right now. A charitable lead trust is a planning vehicle in which the trust pays income to a charity for a period of years or lifetimes and can be an attractive way to provide a current charitable gift as well as to transfer property to family members with minimal federal transfer taxes. Grantor retained annuity trusts allow individuals to transfer appreciating assets to others and retain an annuity for a minimum number of years. Properly structured, the grantor retained annuity trust lets you move future appreciation of an asset to another person free of gift tax.

Please note: This article is not intended as specific tax advice.

Establishing aDonor AdvisedFund

Charitable contributions are worthy of close consideration.

Charitable contributions can both reduce tax liability while at the

same time, pass needed dollars to charitable organizations in

these uncertain economic times when they can use it most. To

avoid capital gains, you may wish to consider giving appreciated

property to charity (as opposed to selling the property, recognizing

the gain and contributing cash to charity). If you believe interest

rates are likely to rise in the future, now may be an opportune

time for giving fixed income assets to charity at their higher

valuations, which may have additional benefits if done as part of

an asset reallocation strategy.

One way to amplify giving is to compile multiple years’ worth

of giving into 2012, or consider replacing annual gifts with a

substantial donation to a donor advised fund (the minimum

amount to establish a Foundation donor advised fund is $5,000).

Donor advised funds can allow you to receive an immediate

charitable income tax deduction (at the maximum amount allowed

for gifts to public charities) while affording you time to decide on

the ultimate charitable beneficiaries.

A Fund For $5KDid you know thatyou can now establish a Donor Advised Fund at The Foundation with only $5,000? For more informationabout the variety ofcharitable options,call us at (323) 761-8704.

6 DES IGNING PHILANTHROPIC SOLUT IONS FOR YOU

Entrepreneurial Spirit Finds Trusted Partnerin The Foundation

Donor Profile: Mark and Lisa Schwartz

7LEAVING A LEGACY

Over the years, Mark N. Schwartz, an entrepreneur, has been involved in the Los Angeles Jewish community and with the Jewish Community Foundation. He and his wife, Lisa, a Commissionerfor the City of Beverly Hills Health and Safety Commission, and twostepchildren, Kirsten and Kyle Kay, are actively involved in numerousphilanthropic pursuits and endeavors.

Background and Philanthropic InterestsMark graduated from Claremont McKenna College and earned

an MBA from Harvard Business School. He serves on the Board ofDirectors of Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills, is a former trustee ofThe Foundation, and currently serves on The Foundation’s AdvisoryBoard. Mark is also a graduate of the Wexner Heritage FoundationFellowship program, which he credits with introducing him to manyof his close friends and business associates.

In addition to Temple Emanuel, Mark supports The Jewish Federation, Friends of Israel Defense Forces, and three organizationsin which his wife, Lisa, is actively involved: New Directions, servinghomeless military veterans; Dream Street Foundation, a free campingprogram for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses; and Every 15 Minutes, which educates high school students on the consequences of drinking alcohol and texting while driving.

From Investment Banker to EntrepreneurMark first caught the entrepreneurial spark when, as an investment

banker, he helped to secure the first round of institutional financing for Starbucks Coffee and served on its Board of Directors. “That was a defining moment in my career,” he recalled. “Some sophisticated business leaders and venture capitalists were on the board, and I learnedby listening to them.”

Lisa and I believe that philanthropyhas to be more than simply writing a check or making a grant with three clicks on The Foundation’sdonor webpage. We seek to be philanthropic activists.” — Mark N. Schwartz

In 1995, Mark co-founded Bodega Latina Corporation, whichnow operates 48 Latino-oriented grocery stores in California, Arizonaand Nevada. He also helped to launch a 3-D software company andserved as CEO of Hypertension Diagnostics, Inc., and is involved invarious other business ventures, as well. Through the Harvard BusinessSchool Angels of Southern California which Mark chairs, he is an

active angel investor and mentor to entrepreneurs.

Partners in PhilanthropyMark joined The Foundation’s Grants Committee

in 1999. “I was impressed with The Foundation’s leadership, and I liked the fact that it functioned similarto a Jewish venture capital fund. We asked grantseekersthe same kind of questions I would ask of a startup, because these were new, innovative community programs.”

Mark opened a Donor Advised Fund in 2005 and is a fan of The Foundation’s Donor Services Online,which enables him to make grants and manage his funds 24/7. “It’s an incredibly efficient online service,”he said, “comparable to the online services of a bank orsecurities firm.” In 2010, he engineered a complicatedliquidity event for his Bodega Latina investors that resulted in a significant windfall. Mark worked withThe Foundation while he structured a multi-year buyout of the privately held company, enabling him to donate assets into his Donor Advised Fund thatamounted to significantly more than his original investment. By transferring his appreciated stock, Mark was able to capture the highest valuation for charitable purposes and avoid capital gains tax.

Giving BackMark and Lisa are instilling philanthropic values in the next generation.

Kyle has taught a baseball clinic and Kirsten also volunteered at the DreamStreet Foundation summer camp, where Lisa also volunteers. “Lisa and I believe that philanthropy has to be more than simply writing a check or making a grant with three clicks on The Foundation’s donor webpage,”said Mark. “We seek to be philanthropic activists, volunteering time as well as contributing money. We hope that by seeing their parentsgive back, Kirsten and Kyle will also make philanthropy one of their important values.”

The Schwartz family—Mark (R) and Lisa Schwartz with their children (L) Kyle and Kirsten Kay—at the dedication of the family’s gift to the New Emanuel Campaign at TempleEmanuel in 2011. �

(T) Mike Januzik, Foundation CFO, and (B) Baruch Littman, Vice President of Development.

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“The Foundation has handled virtually everytype of financial transaction for us,” saidMark. “Foundation CFO Mike Januzik did an outstanding job of handling the logistics of our complicated Bodega Latina buybackand charitable transactions. Additionally, oneof my tax-planning strategies is to transfershares of Starbucks stock to our charitablefund when the stock has a run up in price.Mike has streamlined the process to make it very efficient and cost effective, minimizingany brokerage fees. And Baruch Littman,The Foundation’s Vice President of Development, can go toe-to-toe with the most sophisticated industry tax experts.”

A Foundation Built on Trust

companies by product line, industry and location. That’s why ourseven Israel Grants cover a broad range of geographies, including the Negev, Petah Tikva, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa, as well asschools throughout the country. They also include a melting pot ofpopulations: Russians, Ethiopians, new immigrants, secular families,young adults, schoolchildren and more. We cover a spectrum of interest areas, like job training and placement, high-tech education,teaching young students about Jewish identity, and encouraging more pluralism.

Recently, we hosted Israel’s Consul General to the Southwest,David Siegel, and Israel’s Minister of Economic Affairs to the U.S.,Eli Groner, at an event focused on Israel as a “Start-Up Nation” and our new Israel Grants. During his remarks, Minister Groner referred to us as the “Start-Up Foundation.” It’s a novel descriptionand the more I considered it, the more I realized that phrase speaksto the core of what The Foundation is and how we go about makingstrategic investments in philanthropy.

As the “Start-Up Nation,” Israel is among the most innovative societies on Earth. Israeli nonprofits are likewise; they’re trained to think outside the box, be flexible and nimble, and constantly improvise. Which is why we at The Foundation have learned to be more innovative and creative in our approach to investing in themost promising Israeli nonprofits. Stay tuned as we hopefully watchour Israel Grants’ investment portfolio grow steadily and flourish inthe years to come.

AT PRESS TIME:

In late November, after our Israel Grants process had concludedand $700,000 was awarded to the seven recipients, The Foundationprovided an additional $100,000 grant to support the urgent needsof Israel due to the Gaza conflict. This special $100,000 grant wasmade to the Jewish Federation for its Israel Terror Relief Fund. To support this vital fund, please see the corresponding short article onour cover page.

6505 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1200Los Angeles, CA 90048

NONPROFITORGANIZATIONUS POSTAGE

PA IDLOS ANGELES, CAPERMIT NO. 1805

From the Desk of Marvin I. Schotland Continued from page 1

ChairLorin M. Fife

President and CEOMarvin I. Schotland

Vice PresidentsKenneth A. AugustLeah M. BishopAnthony ChaninMax Factor, IIIWilliam R. FeilerBertrand I. GinsbergHarold J. MasorScott H. RichlandAlan Stern

Senior Vice President, Philanthropic ServicesDan Rothblatt

CFO/Senior Vice President, Finance & AdministrationMichael J. Januzik

Vice President, Charitable Gift PlanningElliot B. Kristal

Vice President, DevelopmentBaruch S. Littman

Vice President,Center for Designed PhilanthropyAmelia Xann

SecretarySelwyn Gerber

TreasurerLawrence Rauch

©2012 Jewish Community Foundation. No portion of this publication may be reproduced

or used without permission.

Le

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cy

Legacy is published to provide news and information

about The Foundationto donors and friends.

TEL. (323) 761-8700FAX (323) 761-8720

TOLL-FREE (877) ENDOW-NOW(877-363-6966)

www.jewishfoundationla.org

Please send your comments and suggestions to the editor.

Editor: Lewis GronerManaging Editor:Bonnie Samotin Zev

Design: Maxine MuellerContributing Writer:

Janet Sanders

Printed with vegetable based inks on recycled paper/10% post-consumer recovered fiber.

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IN TH IS I SSUE

– Announcing our 2012 Israel Grants

– Our Grants. Their Journeys: Personal Stories of Transformation

– Year-End Strategies to Consider

– Donor Profile: Mark and Lisa Schwartz

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VOLUME 22NO. 3WINTER2012

If we can assistwith your

year-end planning, please call us at (323) 761-8704.

Wishing youand your familya joyousChanukah!